Incorporated in 2000, Horizon Builders, Inc. is a full service building firm focusing on renovations and deep retrofits of existing buildings. Founders Bill and Tom Childs together bring over 40 years of experience in the construction industry to the company, as well as expertise in various aspects of the building trade (see below), and a team of well-trained, skilled craftsmen. A deep-seeded commitment to quality, craftsmanship, and the customer has allowed the company to thrive since its founding - even in the midst of the recent recession, which hit the construction industry as a whole particularly hard.
Our business model is based on the simple philosophy that the job should be done right the first time, and that if a client isn’t happy, we’re not happy. This has driven us time and again to find innovative solutions to complex problems, rather than settling for the quick fix. It’s also this philosophy that has allowed us to expand rapidly over the past decade, while developing lasting relationships with our customers - many of which have become like extended family over the years.
While attending the Building Performance Institute’s Building Analyst training several years ago, Horizon Builders co-founder Bill Childs was inspired to the point that he had to step outside during the first lunch break and call his brother Tom to start catching him up to speed on “home performance” - a recently coined term that looks at the house as a system, and encompasses everything from indoor air quality to energy efficiency. Horizon Builders now incorporates the latest in building science and home performance into every project - not as a value added service or add-on, but as standard practice, to ensure that the homes we work on perform well in all the climate conditions (varied, to be sure) that Maine throws at them.
While we’re builders and not linguists, we made a strategic decision ten years ago to avoid the term “contractor” because of its connotation of a business that sacrifices quality for expedience - often at the expense of the customer. Our whole-house, long-term approach is to work closely with homeowners as trusted advisors and advocates through what can often seem a daunting process. We utilize the latest technology - including home performance tools like infrared cameras and blower doors as well as state-of-the-art architectural software - and work only with trade allies that we know and trust, to ensure that our jobs are done efficiently and well, and that you - the customer - are thrilled with the end result.
Meet the Team:
Bill Childs has over 20 years of experience in the construction industry. He is a founding member of the Maine Association of Building Efficiency Professionals, where he served as Vice President of the Board of Directors for the organizations first year. He teaches continuing education classes and lectures frequently to the Maine building and real estate communities on energy efficiency and home performance, having taught over 1,000 students to date.
Tom Childs has over 20 years of experience in the building industry, as well as degrees in Civil Engineering Technologies (A.S.) and Construction Management (B.S.) from the University of Maine in Orono.
